Pipe handling apparatus



June 23, 1953 B. w. GRAY I 2,643,007

PIPE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT OR3 BJ KGray ATTORNEYS June 23, 1953 a. w. GRAY 2,643,007

PIPE HANDIZING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5'5INVENTOR' BlWr aray BY- i: I

ATroNEYs Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPEHANDLING APPARATUS Bowman W. Gray, Odessa, Tex.

Application July 20, 1951, Serial No. 2375777 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for conveying pipe from a Well to arack or storage location.

-When removing pipe from a well, the pipe sections, which areapproximately thirty feet in length, are pulled vertically upwardly by aderrick or the like, and when the lower end is clear of the ground andis disconnected from the succeeding section, the present practice is tohook the lower end of the pipe section to a sheave mounted for movementalong a taut cable extending from the derrick. One of the diflicultiesencountered in the present practice is the dropping of the pipe onto arack or pile in an even manner.

Another difficulty in the present practice is the lack of automaticequipment for releasing the outer end of the pipe at a predeterminedlateral location.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention 'to provide means forautomatically releasing the pipe at a predetermined point in the lateralmovement thereof so that the pipe may be stacked in an even pile.

A further object of this invention is to provide a conveying devicewhich can readily be adapted for conveying elongated heavy rods, boxesor bundles of material. 1

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a carrier for conveying a pipewhich is constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure I.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing an attachment adaptedto be used with the carrier.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the attachment shown in Figure4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showinganother attachment or accessory for use with this invention. 7

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 'I'I ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the accessory shown in Figures 6 and '7.

Referring to the drawings, and, first, to Figures 1, 2, and 3 thenumeral I designates generally a carrier frame structure which is formedof side frame members II and I2 and a top wall I3. A pair of groovedWheels I and I6 are rotatably mounted on transversely disposed shafts I1and I8, respectively. The grooved wheels I5 and I6 ride over arelatively taut cable It which is preferably inclined to the horizontaland is normally extended from a well derrick to a remote point where itis intended to store pipe which has been withdrawn from the well.

The frame structure II] also includes a transversely. disposed bar atthe forward end of the frame which is secured between the side membersII and I2, and the bar 20 has secured therein a rubber bumper or guide2!. A pipe carrying hook 22 is rockably mounted on a shaft 23 disposedbetween the side members II and I2, and the hook 22 is formed with abill 24 adapted to engage Within one end of a pipe section P.

In order to provide a means whereby the hook 22 will be locked in a pipecarrying position until the carrier I0 has reached a predetermined pointalong the length of the cable I3, I have provided a latch member 25which is rockably mounted on a shaft 26 extending between the sidemembers I I and I2. The latch member 25 includes a latching bill 21which is adapted to engage a complementary latching bill or keeper 28which is formed on or carried by the hook 22.

A spring 29 bears at one end against the forward side of the latchmember 25 engaging about a lug 30 which is carried by the latch member25, and the opposite or forward end of spring 29 is seated in a socket3| which is secured to and supported from one of the side members of theframe, and in the present instance is secured to .the side member I2.

The upper end of the latch member 25 has pivotally secured thereto anelongated plunger 32 which is loosely mounted in a cylindrical housing33. The forward end of the plunger 32 is pivotally connected with thelatch member 25 by means of the pivot pin 34. A spring is disposed aboutthe plunger 32 within the housing 33 and bears at its forward endagainst the forward end wall 35 of housing 33 and bears at its rear endagainst a collar 31 which is secured on the plunger 32.

The housing 33 is threaded at its rear end into a bushing 38 which iscarried by a bracket arm 39, and the arm 39 is provided as at Ail on theinner side of wall I2. The rear end of plunger 32 is formed with arounded head II confronting a plunger operator or lever 42 which ispivotally 3 mounted on a transversely disposed pin or shaft 43 extendingbetween the side members H and I2. The lever or operator 42 is formedwith a relatively long slot 44 through which the cable I5 is adapted toloosely engage, and the rear side of the lever 42 is formed with arounded or cam surface 45 which is adapted to be engaged by a stopmember or collar 46 which is clamped to the cable 19 at the point orlocation where it is desired to drop the pipe P.

The frame H] has an eye 41 at the forward portion of the top wall I3with which a cable or flexible member 48 is connected so that thecarrier It may be returned from its remote discharge position to areceiving position adjacent the derrick.

In order to provide a means whereby the carrier I may be adapted forcarrying articles other than pipes such as boxes, machine tools, drillcollars or the like, a pair of clevises 49 are adapted to be mounted onthe shaft 26, and the ends of a chain or sling forming member 50 areconnected with the two clevises 49.

Where long rods or the like are to be conveyed from the derrick to aremote position, an attachment is mounted on the hook 22 as shown inFigures 6, '7 and 8. This attachment comprises a socket member having apair of rearwardly projecting ears 52 which are adapted'to engage onopposite sides of the bill 24 of the hook 22.

Preferably the bill 24 at its forward end is formed with a notch 53within which a' substantially V-shaped lug 54 carried .by the rear ofthe socket 52 is adapted to engage.

A pin 55 is extended through the ears 52 and through the bill 24 asshown in Figures 6 and '7 so that the socket 5| will be firmly locked tothe bill 22.

In the use and operation of this apparatus the carrier i0 is mounted formovement on the taut cable 19, and the stop or release member 46 isclamped about the cable I9 at a point closely adjacent the point ofdischarge or release of the article from the carrier I0. Where a pipe Pis to be conveyed one end of the pipe P is telescoped over the bill 24of the hook 22, the pipe abutting against a lug 53a carried by bill 24,and at this time the hook 22 is locked against rocking by means of thespring-pressed latch member 25. Lug 5311 provides a weight to assist inswinging hook 22 to released position. The pipe is then moved downwardlyalong the cable I9, and when the releasing lever 42 strikes the stopmember 46 plunger 32 will be moved forwardly, thereby re- 4 leasinglatch member 25 from keeper 28 so that hook 22 may rock downwardly andforwardly to a release or discharge position.

Where a sling is to be used which is formed by the chain 50 the hook 22may be raised upwardly to an out of the way position and held in suchout of the way position by means of a pin engaging through alignedopenings 56 which are formed in the side members I I and 12. This pipeor rod conveying device will provide a means whereby the article whichis to be conveyed will be moved to a selected location and automaticallyreleased from the carrier at such predetermined location.

What is claimed is:

1. Pipe handling apparatus comprising a mova'ble frame, a pair ofgrooved wheels rotatably carried by said frame and engageable on a tautcable whereby said frame may be moved along said cable, a pipe engaginghook rockably carried by said frame, a keeper carried by said hook, aspring-pressed latching member carried by said frame for engaging saidkeeper to lock said hook in operative position, a latch releasing levercarried by said frame, a spring biased operating connection between saidlatch and said lever, and a lever operator secured to said cable wherebycontact of said lever with said operator will rock said lever to latchreleasing position.

2. In combination, a taut cable disposed on an inclination to thehorizontal, a pipe carrier movable along said cable comprising a frame,grooved wheels rotatably carried by said frame engaging said cable, apipe supporting hook rockably carried by said frame, a spring-pressedlatch carried by said frame, a keeper carried by said hook engageable bysaid latch for normally holding said hook in operative position, aspring-pressed plunger pivotally connected at one end to said latch,means supporting said plunger in said frame, a latch releasing leverrockably carried by said frame and bearing against the opposite end ofsaid plunger, and a lever operator fixed to said cable adapted to rocksaid lever to latch releasing position.

BOWMAN W. GRAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 919,003 Hahn et a1. Apr. 20, 1909 2,425,292 McCoy Aug. 12,1947 2,539,751 Olsen Jan. 30, 1951

